Section 532.30  Live Theater Tax Credit Directives

a)         For taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2012, subject to the limitations and requirements provided in the Act, an applicant is entitled to a theater tax credit award as approved by the Department for qualifying Illinois labor expenditures and Illinois production spending for each tax year in which the applicant is awarded an accredited theater production certificate issued by the Department. The amount of tax credits awarded pursuant to this Act shall not exceed $2,000,000 in any State fiscal year ending on or before June 30, 2022. The amount of tax credits awarded pursuant to this Act for the State fiscal year ending on June 30, 2023 or the State fiscal year ending on June 30, 2024 shall not exceed $4,000,000. For the State fiscal year ending on June 30, 2023 and the State fiscal year ending on June 30, 2024, no more than $2,000,000 in credits may be awarded in either of those fiscal years to accredited theater productions that are not commercial Broadway touring shows, and no more than $2,000,000 in credits may be awarded in either of those fiscal years to commercial Broadway touring shows. For State fiscal years ending on or after June 30, 2025, the amount of tax credits awarded under this Act shall not exceed $6,000,000, with no more than $2,000,000 in credits awarded for long-run productions and pre-Broadway productions, no more than $2,000,000 in credits awarded for commercial Broadway touring shows, and no more than $2,000,000 in credits awarded for non-profit theater productions. [35 ILCS 17/10-20]

b)         The $2,000,000 in credits that may be awarded for non-profit theater productions under this Act in a State fiscal year shall be allocated as follows:

1)         no credits may be awarded for non-profit theater productions that have an annual operating budget of less than $25,000;

2)         no more than $225,000 in credits may be awarded, in the aggregate, for non-profit theater productions that have an annual operating budget of $25,000 or more but less than $250,000;

3)         no more than $225,000 in credits may be awarded, in the aggregate, for non-profit theater productions that have an annual operating budget of $250,000 or more but less than $1,000,000;

4)         no more than $250,000 in credits may be awarded, in the aggregate, for non-profit theater productions that have an annual operating budget of $1,000,000 or more but less than $2,500,000;

5)         no more than $300,000 in credits may be awarded, in the aggregate, for non-profit theater productions that have an annual operating budget of $2,500,000 or more but less than $5,000,000;

6)         no more than $300,000 in credits may be awarded, in the aggregate, for non-profit theater productions that have an annual operating budget of $5,000,000 or more but less than $10,000,000; and

7)         no more than $700,000 in credits may be awarded, in the aggregate, for non-profit theater productions that have an annual operating budget of $10,000,000 or more. [35 ILCS 17/10-20].

c)         In accordance with the purpose of the Act, credits shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis as described in Section 532.40(c). [35 ILCS 17/10-20]

d)         To accomplish the purposes of the Act, the Department may use the training programs provided under Section 605-800 of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois [20 ILCS 605]. [35 ILCS 17/10-35]

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 15946, effective December 4, 2025)